The shower is the largest single feature of the bathroom and one of the most important. A great shower design can bring a level of luxury, beauty, and convenience to your bathroom that changes the whole feel of the space. Here at That Reno Guy, we love tile showers for bathroom remodels, and we think you will too. Read on to discover five things to think about if you’re considering a tile shower in your Edmonton bathroom.
(Photo by Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd. on Unsplash)
#1. Tile Showers Can Be Built to Fit Any Space
Unlike prefabricated shower surrounds that come in standard sizes, tile showers can be built in any size or shape. This is great news for a bathroom remodel because it removes design limitations. You can decide whether you love a walk-in shower room, a corner shower, a curbless shower, or something entirely different.
Tile showers are also a good choice in a small bathroom where it might be hard to even get a prefabricated shower surround in the door. If you choose a beautifully tiled shower and then add clear glass doors, you can create a focal point that also visually expands the room, making it feel larger.
#2. You Have Many Tile Options to Choose From
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There are so many types of tiles available for showers that you can find exactly what you want. Each type of tile has its own benefits. Some popular options include:
- Ceramic. These tiles are beautiful and durable. They are also good for the environment since they’re sustainable, made of natural materials, recyclable, and easy to clean without toxic chemicals. Ceramic tiles are easy to maintain and come in many various colors and styles.
- Porcelain. Because of their high density, porcelain tiles have a very low moisture permeability, meaning water rolls right off them instead of being absorbed–important for showers! They are durable and come in many designs, shapes, and colors. They are a long-lasting choice.
- Zellige. These glazed terra cotta tiles are quickly growing in popularity. They’re often handmade and contain slight variations in color and shape that make them perfectly imperfect. Zellige tiles add a lot of visual interest and beauty to a shower, and because they’re glazed, they’re impermeable to water as well.
- Stone. Stone tiles come in many types, from natural to engineered.
- Marble tiles are very popular and beautiful. They need a little more care than other tiles as they need to be sealed every so often.
- Travertine is popular for its beautiful rustic look and neutral colors. It may also need sealing but is easy to care for.
- Granite shower tiles are low-maintenance, durable, and beautiful.
- Pebble stone tiles are popular, especially for shower floors.
- Engineered quartz is very popular as well. Because it is man-made, the surface is smoother than, say, granite, so it’s easier to keep clean and doesn’t need sealing.
#3. There are Nearly Endless Design Options
The sky is the limit when it comes to design options for your tiled shower. You can
- stick with one tile for the walls and another for the floor.
- keep the floor and walls the same, thus making them seem bigger.
- add contrasting tile in shower nooks or on shower benches.
- keep the tile layout simple or make it complex and eye-catching.
Tiles come in squares, rectangles, hexagons, mosaic designs, arabesque (lantern-style tiles), pickets (elongated rectangles with pointed ends), diamonds, and more. The shape you choose will impact the layouts available to you.
Stacked or Straight Lay
(Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash)
This is a popular and appealing design that works well for square and rectangular tiles. Each row of tiles is stacked directly on top of the next, with corners matching. Especially when using rectangle tiles, this layout visually widens the space and gives it a modern feel.
Stagger
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Stagger tile layouts describe one row of tiles being offset by a specific amount from the one below it. When you think of subway tiles, you probably picture a staggered design. Tiles can be 50% staggered, ⅓ staggered, ¼ staggered, or random. A stagger design highlights grout lines and hides imperfections well.
Diagonal Lay
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This works especially well for picket tiles (which can also be positioned vertically or horizontally). Sometimes called a bias layout, tiles are placed at 45-degree angles. You can diagonally lay tiles on walls or floors, and often the diagonal lines can make a small room look bigger.
Basketweave
A basketweave layout works best for rectangular tiles. It involves stacking two tiles horizontally, and then two vertically. The next row alternates so that the vertical tiles have two horizontal ones directly above them. The end result is fun and unique.
Chevron
A popular and enduring style, chevron layouts involve placing two tiles at 45-degree angles so that they form a V. The ends are cut and matched, forming a point. Chevron layouts can be installed vertically, horizontally, or staggered. This design makes a beautiful shower wall.
Herringbone
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Similar to the chevron design, tiles are placed in a V-shape, but the ends do not meet. Instead, they are laid in alternating 45-degree angles, so the end result looks woven. Designers often use this style to add interest and make a small room seem bigger. It’s a beautiful and popular layout.
Pinwheel
This complex, fun, and unique design uses a smaller tile (usually square), surrounded by four offset tiles (again, often square), creating a pinwheel design. Because you need two sizes of tiles, it’s easy to incorporate extra variations: the smaller square could be a different color or pattern than the larger ones, making your options nearly limitless.
#4. Tile Showers are Durable, Easy to Maintain, and Increase Your Home Value
Whether you plan to stay in your home forever or would like to sell it in the future, tile showers are a good idea. They are durable and last a long time, especially if you keep the grout clean and fresh. They are easy to maintain, needing gentle soap and water and a soft cloth or sponge to keep them looking their best. And adding a tile shower to your Edmonton home will increase its value. A good bathroom remodel, including a tile shower, can give you an ROI (return on investment) of as much as 75-100%.
#5. Tile Showers Make Your Bathroom Look and Feel Luxurious
What could be more relaxing at the end of a long day than stepping into your own personal retreat? A tile shower can make your bathroom look stunning and upscale and feel like a peaceful, luxurious spa. With beautiful tiles and a lovely layout, your shower can be the showstopper of your bathroom.
At That Reno Guy, we have a passion for tile work, and we’ve tiled hundreds of bathrooms. We have the knowledge to help you design your dream bathroom and the experience to make it a reality. Contact us today or request a quote, and let us help you get started.
(Photo by Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd. on Unsplash)
